At a recent Village Board meeting, Wayne and Elaine Hotelling received permission to hold the 29th annual Laurel Memorial Run July 18-19.

“We will continue what you started many years ago,” Silver Creek Mayor Jeff Hornburg said to the Hotellings.

The event is held each year in honor of Laurel Hotelling, a beloved member of the Silver Creek community who passed away in 2017 after living an impactful life of 54 years with Down’s Syndrome.

The Laurel Memorial Run helps to continue the impact Laurel has on the community, spreading love and joy while raising awareness and visibility for those of all abilities. The event features a 5K run/walk; an 8K run; a 1K Fun Walk; children’s runs; and Laurel’s Lap, designated for anyone with a disability.

Pictured is a framed t-shirt from a previous Laurel Run that was gifted to the Hotelling family by a former Silver Creek student.

As part of a yearly tradition, Jaylah and Janelle Cossin participate in a run and bike ride from the Resource Center in Jamestown to the Resource Center in Dunkirk, as their younger sister, Joy, supports them along the way. The Cossin sisters formed a bond with Laurel Hotelling through their church and continue to honor her legacy each year.

Each year, custom t-shirts are designed for participants in the festivities. Wayne Hotelling passed around a framed t-shirt from a previous year that was gifted to him by a former Silver Creek student.

Anna Frederickson, a Silver Creek resident, thanked the Hotellings for all they do with the Laurel Run. She said, “I think it’s a wonderful thing that this village participates in.”

The Village Board also thanked the Hotellings for continuing with the Laurel Memorial Run as a staple in the community for nearly three decades.

“I commend you for all your volunteer service through the years, and all the volunteers who also work with you to make the Laurel Memorial Run a success. I’m glad to see it again in Silver Creek this year,” Deputy Mayor Kathy Tampio said.

Wayne Hotelling responded, “It wouldn’t fly without you folks; it wouldn’t fly without the Resource Center; and so many volunteers and people that help us out. It has been a labor of love.”

Other events scheduled before the Laurel Run include a tie-dye party to kick off the Anderson-Lee Library’s summer reading program, held in the ballpark pavilion on June 26 from 4-7 p.m.; Music in the Park, commencing June 10; and use of the ballpark by the Hanover Little League for tee-ball from April 26 to June 14. The Village Board has also expressed interest in holding a day to honor Howard Ehmke with the Jamestown Tarp Skunks in mid-July.